On September 16, 2020, Weichai Power's first commercial diesel engine with a thermal efficiency of 50.23% was born. After 480 days, Weichai Power broke the record again. On January 8, 2022, Weichai Power released the world's first diesel engine with a thermal efficiency of 51.09% in Jinan, breaking the world record it set. Such a scientific and technological breakthrough, how did Weichai achieve it?
Tong Dehui, a scientist at Weichai and deputy general manager of Weichai Group, said in an interview with the New Yellow River reporter that thermal efficiency is the diesel burned by the diesel engine, and how much energy is used to do the work. For more than 100 years, the industry has been pursuing high thermal efficiency, but it is very difficult. Five years ago, no one believed that the thermal efficiency of diesel engines reached 48%. Weichai achieved 50.23% last year, just like the 100-meter race into 10 seconds. This time to refresh the record, don't look at the 50.23% to 51.09%, only increased by less than 1%, just like the 100-meter run from 10 seconds to 9 seconds, in fact, it is very difficult.
He further explained that thermal efficiency seems to be a value, but to achieve this indicator, it is not enough to do a good job of combustion. In fact, the improvement of thermal efficiency is the embodiment of the comprehensive technical capabilities of enterprises, such as reliability, emissions, etc. are important constraints, and the emissions of this product can reach The National VIB, which is currently the most stringent emission requirements in the world. Being able to achieve such a breakthrough is the embodiment of the comprehensive strength of the whole group.
"There are more than 200 R&D personnel in the company who directly tackle the thermal efficiency improvement, but in fact, more than 5,000 R&D personnel are more or less contributing to this matter." Tong Dehui said that although it seems to have taken 480 days, it is actually the result of years of continuous research and development and the hard work of employees.
Once again refreshing the thermal efficiency indicators created by the company itself, Tong Dehui said that in terms of thermal efficiency, Weichai has entered no man's land, there is no successful case to learn from, and there are relatively few social resources that can provide support. A large number of basic research needs to be done by themselves, and the current innovation has high requirements for R&D resources and cost guarantees. At present, Weichai's annual research and development expenses in the field of engines reach about 5 billion yuan.
Although it has once again set a new world record for thermal efficiency, Weichai has not stopped moving forward and is currently working towards the goal of 52% thermal efficiency of the diesel engine body. According to the plan, in the future, they will strive to achieve the goal of 55% thermal efficiency of the diesel engine body.
New Yellow River reporter: Huang Min